BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 698

By: Birdwell

Environmental Regulation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised that despite the high interest in the expedited processing of air permit applications at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), processing times have not improved much because TCEQ is limited in the number of people it can hire. S.B. 698 seeks to address this issue and improve the expedited permit review process by providing for the use of full-time equivalent TCEQ employees to support the expedited processing of air permit applications.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 698 amends the Health and Safety Code to provide for the use of full-time equivalent Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) employees to support the expedited processing of air permit applications filed under the Texas Clean Air Act. The bill authorizes TCEQ to set the rate for overtime compensation for such employees and authorizes money from the surcharge for an expedited application to be used to support the expedited processing of air permit applications.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.